Residential and commercial properties often involve pressure washing to maintain exterior appeal and longevity. Pressure cleaning removes stubborn dirt, grime, mould, etc., from outdoor surfaces. But many property owners in Australia think that pressure washing is worth it in terms of costs.
Well, yes, professional pressure cleaning is a good investment. It ensures the highest level of return on investment (ROI) on the costs. Pressure washing-
- enhances surface cleaning efficiency.
- It is time and effort-saving.
- It ensures safety.
- Enhances property value and curb appeal.
- Ultimately, it is cost-effective in the long run.
We will discuss the cost and benefit analysis of pressure cleaning. You will get useful insight into the matter. Ultimately, you can make an informed decision to use professional pressure cleaning for your property.
Understanding Professional Pressure Cleaning
Pressure cleaning or washing uses high-powered washing jets and specialised cleaning solutions. It is mainly used for exterior surfaces like walls, pavements, driveways, decks, building exteriors, and roofs.
The pressure cleaning enhances the properties’ appearance and integrity. It ensures these by removing elements that contribute to wear and deterioration. They include elements like,
- mould,
- mildew,
- grime,
- dirt,
- algae, etc.
As Australia has a humid subtropical climate, exterior surfaces here grow build-up frequently.
So, property owners should understand the cost and benefits of pressure cleaning. This will help them make informed decisions about long-term property upkeep.
How Cost Benefits Analysis (CBA) Works
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a tool or way of assessing whether the cost of a service or product outweighs its costs.
Here is a quick and easy overview of how it can work in the context of professional pressure cleaning.
Identify the Costs and Benefits
Think about the associated cost of the pressure cleaning. Include service fees, time, product cost, etc.
Now, think about the benefits you will get from the service. For example, enhanced impact on curb appeal, reduced maintenance costs, and extended surface life.
Quantify Costs and Benefits
Think about the monetary value of the costs and benefits. For example, your property value increases with cleaning.
Now, subtract the costs from the value of benefits. If the benefits are greater than the cost, pressure cleaning is worthwhile.
Consider Long-Term Impact
A thorough CBA also considers future savings and benefits from regular upkeep. Professional pressure cleaning includes maintaining property aesthetics, preventing damage, and enhancing long-term property value.
CBA helps property owners see if the expense of professional pressure cleaning is justified by the tangible benefits gained in property value, appearance, and longevity.
Professional vs DIY Cleaning Cost Comparison for Pressure Cleaning
Here is a quick breakdown of pressure cleaning costs of both DIY and professional ones. This will help you analyse the costs and benefits.
DIY Pressure Cleaning Cost
In Australia, renting pressure washing equipment costs $90 to $220 per day for basic equipment. However, with advanced equipment, it can go up to $500 per day.
On the other hand, if you think about buying a pressure washer, this may cost you $1000 to $2500 for a consumer-grade machine. But, an industrial-grade machine can cost $5000 or more.
Aside from the washer machine, water and cleaning solutions can cost $30 to $50 per session.
On the other hand, DIY pressure cleaning requires time, familiarity and expertise with equipment to avoid damage. So, pressure washing is not an ideal DIY option.
Professional Pressure Cleaning Cost
In Brisbane and other parts of Australia, professional pressure cleaning costs vary depending on several factors. They include the location, service types, property size, etc.
However, here is a general breakdown of professional pressure washing of your properties so that you get an idea.
Generally, the pressure cleaning costs per square metre ranges from $3 to $5. So, you may expect the cost for your areas as follows.
- 1 to 30 sq m is around $150
- 40 sq m is around $170 to $180
- 50 sq m is around $200
- 100 to 120 sq m is around $300 to $330.
On the other hand, the cost may vary based on the surfaces you want to clean. For example,
- A large patio can cost around $150
- Small to medium driveways can cost around $200 to $350
- A roof can cost around $150 to $350
- A large driveway can cost around $300 to $700.
All these can take 2 to 6 hours to clean.
However, from the cost breakdown, it is clear that professional pressure cleaning is much more cost-effective than DIY.
But are the benefits you get worth the cost? So, let’s analyse the costs and benefits.
Key Benefits of Professional Pressure Cleaning That Justify the Cost
Here are the benefits you will get from pressure cleaning that justify the investment as worthwhile.
Enhances Surface Cleaning Efficiency
Professional pressure cleaning uses industrial-grade equipment to pressure clean your properties. So, it achieves a level of cleanliness that would not be achieved without pressure cleaning.
This would also not be possible with DIY and consumer-grade cleaning. The surface cleaning efficiency professionals offer is ideal for removing stubborn stains and contaminants. This ensures the property looks fresh and well-maintained.
Increases Property Value and Curb Appeal
As we mentioned, clean surfaces give you a freshly looked and well-maintained property. But is this the only benefit of cleaning?
What do you think about financial return on investment (ROI)? Well, think about it. If you are thinking about renting or selling your properties, what do you want?
A higher price, right?
For both commercial and residential properties, professional pressure cleaning significantly improves curb appeal. This contributes to a positive first impression among potential tenants and buyers.
So, when you get a positive first impression of your potential buyers, you will get a strong return on investment. A positive impression means the property value increases with cleaning.
Well, here is a real cost-benefit analysis of pressure cleaning, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In June 2024, the residential dwelling value in Australia was $10,911.8 billion. This is an increase of $225.9 billion from March 2024, where the March value was $10,685.9 billion. And it is a $810.2 billion increase from June 2023, which was $10,101.6.
The data shows that the values of residential dwellings increased in all states and territories of Australia in the June quarter of 2024, except Victoria.
Other data shows that house prices in Brisbane increased by 17.04% from August 2023 to August 2024. This increase isn’t only for Brisbane but also for all big cities, except for Hobart.
But you may wonder how cleaning and maintenance are relevant to these pieces of data. Okay, we have another study that actually shows the level of maintenance has a great impact on the house price.
Proper cleaning and maintenance ultimately increase the price of properties. So, think about one-time pressure cleaning costs and the increased value of your property.
The professional cleaning ROI is obviously many times more worthwhile than the amount you spend on cleaning.
Reduces Cost and Enhances Surface Longevity
A pressure cleaning removes all build-ups, like mould, algae, mildew, and other build-up elements. Efficient cleaning also prevents the build-up growth, which could degrade the surfaces. It ultimately extends the surface longevity.
So, when your surface lifespan extends, it saves you from costly repairs and replacements of your exterior surfaces and components. It indicates maintenance cost reduction.
So, spending on pressure cleaning once saves you from multiple times costs for repairs and replacement. This cost-effectiveness of pressure cleaning is undoubtedly worth it.
On the other hand, growing mould, algae, and mildew create poor indoor and outdoor air quality. This environment can create respiratory issues for the home residents and visitors.
When professional pressure cleaning removes all these elements and keeps them under control, this ensures a healthier outdoor environment.
Saves Time and Effort
Investing in professional pressure cleaning for your properties saves significant time and labour. It ensures minimal disruptions of business operations.
On the other hand, for homeowners, it means less effort and consistently high-quality results.
Pressure Cleaning Ensures Slippery Safety
Accidents happen on slippery surfaces. For example, on 18 January 2020, a woman named Mrs Furner fell on a slippery driveway during an open home sales inspection in NSW.
As a result, the homeowner and the sales agent were fined $1.5 million to Mrs Furner for her injury damage.
Just think about the monetary damage to the homeowner in this case. If the owner had kept his driveway clean, this incident would not have happened. So, he would be saved from such a big fine.
On the other hand, the woman would be saved from injury. Think about your family members. With a slippery surface, slip and fall can happen to anyone in your family.
So, when you use pressure washing services, these will help you avoid such accidents. The benefits of safety you get are much bigger than the residential pressure cleaning costs.
Impact Positively on the Environment
Environmental concerns are important to property owners. This is particularly important when it comes to water usage.
Professional pressure cleaning services use efficient methods that minimise water consumption. This is a notable consideration in Australia.
On the other hand, professionals use eco-friendly cleaning solutions. They include
- vinegar solutions
- baking soda
- citrus-based cleaners
- hydrogen peroxide
- soap-based surfactants
- sodium percarbonate
- enzyme cleaners
Most eco-friendly pressure washing solutions are low-acidic and contain no harmful gas or any other chemical combination.
As a result, high-efficiency washers and environmentally safe cleaning solutions help reduce water consumption and cost and ensure health safety while cleaning.
Final Thoughts- Is Professional Pressure Cleaning Worthy?
When we analyse the cost against the benefits of professional pressure cleaning, it is totally worth it. It is worthy regarding finances, safety, cleanliness quality, time efficiency, and environment.
So, you can invest in professional pressure cleaning for your property without any hesitations. If you are looking for the best professional cleaning service in Brisbane, Eco Cleaning Brisbane can be your best cleaning partner.
We have been providing cleaning services across Brisbane for more than 20 years, and we have thousands of happy clients. To book your pressure cleaning service today, call us at +61 7 3189 2759 or mail us at [email protected].
